Inflation among main drivers of additional health funding

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has pointed to inflation, along with a growing and ageing population, as being the main drivers of additional funding for the health service this year.

He appeared before the Select Committee on Health to secure approval for an extra €2.7 billion for the sector announced in the Summer Economic Statement in July.

Minister Donnelly noted that €900m of temporary Covid-19 funding has also been made permanent.

Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane said that he and others had warned a year ago that a shortfall was imminent.

He appealed for an end to "the madness" and to what he called a "very chaotic way to fund healthcare".

The committee heard that the proportion of Ireland's population aged over 75 is growing at a rate seven times greater than the EU average.

Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart cited statistics which reveal that the rate of growth is between 25% and 28% in Ireland, as compared to 3.5% across the EU.

Minister of State Mary Butler revealed that there are now 400 fewer people in nursing homes under the Fair Deal Scheme than there were in 2019.

"So that shows the investment into home care, day care and meals on wheels is working," she said.

Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall welcomed the news, and expressed hope that the positive trend would continue.